Sound-producing device.



J. C. DEAGAN.

SDUND PRODUCING-DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED ocT. 24, 1917.

JEFFERSON CLAUDE DEAGAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SOUND-IROD'UCING DEITICE.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919.

Application led October 24, 1917. Serial No. 198,270.

- and useful Improvement in Sound-Producably of unequal width and where there areA ing Devices, ofwhich the following is a full, clear,concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to sound producing devices and has for one of its general objects the construction of a sound producing bar capable of producing a musical tone and an accompanying overtone or overtones, the number of additional overtonesproduced by the bar being selected according to the sound which is to be produced by the composite sound produced by the bar.V VTo carry out this object of my invention the bar is prismoidal having consecutive faces meeting atan obtuse angle. These faces are preferthree or more such faces the obtuse an les between adjacent .faces of the series are t en substantially equal. Y

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the prismoid has three or more pairs of such faces with the faces of each pair op'- posite Veach other and preferably substantially parallel. The spacing between the faces of each pair of faces is unequal to the spacings between the faces of the other pairs of faces, the bar thus having as many differing thicknesses as` there are such pairs of faces, each thickness corresponding to a tone orv itsovertone. The principal tone produced may be that which' results from striking any one face -of the bar and would be due to the thickness of the bar between this faceV and the opposite face parallel thereto. The accompanying overtones are mainly due to the portions of the bar intervening between the faces of the remaining pairs. The number. of Well defined overtones accompanying a dominant tone depends upon the number of additional faces or additional pairs of faces to those that perof such bar to regulate the amplitude of the vibrations set up by the bar thereby to regulate the intensity or loudness of the tone. rI his feature ofmy invention is not to be limited to employment with bars of prismoidal form but may be employed to advantage. in connection therewith, in which event each of two or more faces of the bar is preferably provided with a sound damper. The dampers that are applied to the same bar are relatively adjustable so that the amplitudes of the vibrations which produce a tone and overtones may be adjusted relatively to regulate the intensities of such tone and its overtones. These dampers that` are adjustable along the bars serve to modulate the principal tone and overtones that are determined by the thicknesses of the bars.

In accordance with another object of my invention I employ another sound damper movable upon an end face of the bar to modulate the overtone that is due to the length of the bar.

A musicalv instrument may be constructed with bars made and equipped in accordance with my invention, these bars being arranged to enable them to produce principal tones of a musical scale with accompanying overtones of such tones. By means of the dampers the sounding bars may be adjusted to differ widely in their musical characteristics as compared with the musical characteristics of similar sounding bars unprovided with the dampers.

I will explain my invention more fully byreference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of ay sound producing bar equipped with sound dampers; Fig. 1a is a musical notation of the principal dominant tone and prominent overtones producible by striking the foremost face of the bar; Fig. 2 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is Ia view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of another form of bar; and Fig. la is a musical notation of the principal tone and overtones producible by the bar illustrated in Fig. 4.

,Like pants are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

In each of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing there is illustrated but one sound-producing bar 1 capable of producing a tone of a musical scale and accompanying overtones, it being understood that a set of such bars,

capable of producing different tones Vof a musical scale and accompanying overtones, may be employed inthe formation of a coun-V plete musical instrument.

The prismoidal bar 1 shown in Fig. 1 1s hexagonal in cross section. It is vertically suspended at a nodal point upon a screw or post 2 secured to and projecting forwardly from a mounting board 3. An opening l is provided in the Ybar through whichA the post 2 passes. The opening is reduced in diameter at its mid-portion to form an internal shoulder 5, in the opening, that bears upon the p'ost which is elsewhere clear of engagement with the bar. A felt backing 6, secured to the front face of the board 3 at the upper nodal point of the bar, prevents the upper portion of the bar from striking the mounting board 3 while the felt Washer 7 at the front end of the post prevents thev bar from striking theV post head. VThis post head is shown as being in the form of a screw head inasmuch `as the post is in the form of a vscrew that is screwed in the mounting board 3. Another felt backing 8 is provided upon' the frontface ofthe board 3 and is located at a lower nodal point of the bar l to prevent the lower end of the bar, as it swingsjfrom striking the board.V The lower end of the lbar is disposed between two posts 9, located inline with the aforesaid l'ower nodal point, to limit the extent to which the lbar may swing sid'ewise.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, l2 and 3 the prismoidal sounding b'ar has two pairs of opposite parallel side faces E, twopairs of opposite parallel side faces G, and two pairs of opposite parallel side faces C.Y The faces of each pair differ in width from the faces of each of the other pairs. Ther'bar shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is tuned to produce the tones Vc, g and 0. By this construction the thickness E1 between the faces E, E will, when the bar is set into'vibr'aition,v give rise to the tone e, noted infFigrla. The thickness Gl'between the faces Gr, G will give rise to the tone y, also noted in Fig. la. The thickness C1 between the faces C, C, will give rise to the tone -upper c. If a face C is struck the tone upper c would be the principal tone and the tones e and g would be sounded overtones o-f such tone.V If a. face G is struck the tone g would be the principall tone and the tones e andV c would be sounded overtones of such tone. If a face E is struck the tone e would be the princi-pal tone and the tones c and g would be sounded overtones of such tone. The octagonal prismoidal bar illustrated in Fig. 4 lis capable of producing the tones e, g and upper c, .the thicknesses lof the bar shown in Fig. 4 that produce these tones 'being indicated at El, G1, C1. The thinnest portion offthis bar is indicated at C2 to cause the'tone c an octave per Vc (whether such tone be principal or overtone) is regulable by means` 0f a damper 11 engaging` the foremost side face Y C of the bar and movable longitudinally of the bar toward and from the nodal point 5. By adjusting this damper 11 Vlengthwise of the bar theamplitude of the sound producing vibrations that produce the tone upper c may be adjusted to adjust the intensity of the sound ofsuch tone. This damper 11 is inclusive of a felt facingf12 that directly engages the bar. Themetal portion of the damper thatcarries the facing 12 may be mounted in any'suitable way to renderl the ldamper adjustable longitudinally of the bar. I have shown a screw 13, in swivel connection with thedamper and in threaded'A connection with` a bracketxeXtension '14 of the mounting board. Y By turning the head 15 -of the screw 13 the screw iscau'sed to move longitudinally of itself and longitudinally of the bar to adjust the position of the damper on the bar. This feature of my invention is of utility whetherV or not the bar has the novel formation for cipal and overtones. Y As the form Yof -the .invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is capable of producin a principal tone and two overtones, vthe ar has three dampers each engaging a side face of the bar and individual to a tone Yfor adjusting it. I will'not describe these additional dampers in detail as the description given ofthe elements 11, 12,-13and 14: will apply. Parts of the additional dampers corresponding in function .and construction to Vthe dampers specifically Adescribed Yare given characters of Y reference similar to producing printhose' applied to suchspecifically described Y dampers but with added prime exponents.- I also provide a damper 112 for adjusting the overtone that is due to the length of the bar'. This damper is inclusive of a'felt'facing 122 that directly engages one yend face of the bar, preferably-the lower end face thereof. The metal portion of the damper 112 that carries the facing 122 is inswivel connection with thev screw 132. This screw is in threaded connection with the lbracket extension 142 ofthe mounting board 3.V `By turning the head 152 of -therscrew 13 the screw is caused to move longitudinally of itself and transverselyV of the bar to adjust the kposition of the-damper on the lower end face ofthe bar. This position is selected suitably to modify the partial that is due to the length of the bar. An adjustable spring 153 regulates the pressure of damper '122 upon the bar. If desired each damper 121 Y may be so equipped. Y Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. A sound producing bar having different portions tuned to cause the bar to produce different principal tones of a musical scale, in combination with dampers engaging side faces of said portions and adjustable longitudinally of the bar and with respect to each other.

2. A sound producing bar having different portions tuned to cause the bar to produce different principal tones of a musical scale, in combination with dampers engaging side faces of said portions and adjustable longitudinally of the bar.

3. A sound producing bar having diferent portions tuned to cause the bar to produce different principal tones of a musical scale7 in combination with dampers engaging side faces of said portions, a damper being adjustable longitudinally of the bar.

4. A sound producing bar having different portions tuned to cause the bar to produce different principal tones of a musical scale, in combination with a damper engagin a side face of one of said portions and adJustable longitudinally of the bar.

5. A sound producing bar in combination with a damper in engagement with a side face thereof and adjustable longitudinally of said face.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this twenty fifth day of September, A. D. 1917.

JEFFERSON CLAUDE DEAGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor ave cents euh, by addressing the Commissioner o! htontl, Washington, D. 0. 

